Slow loading

KED2003,

Thank you for using the Dell Community Forum.

Programs running in the background will slow your machine down. Everything in your Start Folder starts running at bootup.

To clear start menu:

Right mouse click on Start Button
Select Explore
Under Start Menu (which is highlighted) click the + next to the programs folder.
Select/highlight the Startup Folder
Delete the programs listed on the right side of the screen.

Dell-Joanne, I thought your reply might be a solution for the slow booting up of my Dell Dimension 8300, but alas my startup folder is empty. Might you have any other ideas or items to check?

Joanne,

Thanks for responding to my posting. I tried cleaning out my start folder like you said, but it's still slow. I keep getting error messages that tell me that certain programs need to close. Also, my internet explorer hasn't worked properly since I got my computer.

By the way, my computer is a Dimensions 2300, Intel Celeron CPU 1.80 GHz, 256 MB of RAM. Purchased October 2002.

 

When you get an error message telling you that the program has to close, if there is a link to show details of the error, click on the link.  We need to know the AppName and ModName involved in the error.

Steve

Here is an easier method, in W2K pro and XP you can like the older Operating systems press (ctl-alt-del) instead of getting an end taks manager it is called an event viewer, which displays which tasks you currently have running.

Jen,

Do you even have XP?  Cntrl - Alt - Delete in Windows XP does not bring up the event veiwer.  To get to the event veiwer, you need to go to Start > Administrative Tools > Event Viewer.

Steve

Steve, instead of arguing with me, you could've just provided additional insight to the issue, and I know the event viewer displays current running tasks in the system, which I am certain you do as well. You can also stop programs from that location by changing their setting ( which the 3 statuses are, started or running, stopped, or disabled), which another translation can be automatic, manual, or disabled.

People come here to get answers.  When the answers you provide do get them to the result they need, you are making things even more confusing.  Providing the wrong information helps no one.  We all make mistakes here and there.  You just seem to make them consistently.

Steve

I don't have time to argue with you nor am I going to. I will state, I own 4 systems from P2 to P4 which I built, upgraded, set up, and tweaked myself, they all seem to run fine with no issues, I wonder why that is, if I am as bad as you state? The operating systems I own and work with: MSDOS 6.22, IBM PCDOS 2000, Windows 3.1, OEM Windows 95 OSR-2, OEM WIndows 98 ( 4.10.1998), OEM Windows 98 SE (4.10.2222), Windows 2000 Professional with service pack 3, Linux Red Hat 7.1 Deluxe Edition. I seem to not get any errors on my systems, what makes me so consistently bad?

The issue is not whether your computers have or don't have problems.  The issue is that you are consistently offering bad or irrelevant advice, even after another user as posted something helpful. 

Steve

If you go to www.blackviper.com, his site provides some very useful informatoin as to what all the processes running at startup are (not applicatons, but the actual processes.

You might also want to check into a registry cleaning tool to see what is going on there.  I recntly got one called Registry Mechanic and have been ery impressed and pleased with it.  This does sounds like some sort of registry conflict to me or a lack of physical memeory availble at startup due to a BIOS setting.

I have the same exact problem. My computer is brand new Dell Dimension 8300, 512MB RAM, P4 system. Recently.. i've been having the same problem periodically.. about 5-10 minutes after turning the system on.. it lags and slows down to a crawl.. even when I'm not running a program. Simply navigating folders lags it down.. the mouse crawls back and forth.. folders take a long time to open and close and you can forget about running any program at this point.

I've tried everything to fix the problem. I've defragmented my hardrive, run anti-spybot software, re-installed windows, reverted back to a time when I didn't have the problem and everything.. nothing works.. nothing..

Its comforting to hear someone else has this problem.. but it'd be a lot more comforting if someone has a solution...

Janssel

Steve wasn't arguing. I'm sure he doesn't need me to defend him but here I am anyway. Actually he pointed out to you quite directly that the reply you gave concerning Event Manager was off base. Your subsequent reply to him completely circumvented that issue and attempted to conceal your off base reply in a cloud of smoke.

I don't care who is a Tech or who is trapeze artist; but I do know, after reading here for quite awhile, whose advice to trust and you basically can't go wrong with Steve.

 

JenDScot,

I do not doubt your extensive experience, although I note that you do not list XP.

In Windows XP, pressing ctrl +alt+delete brings up 'task manager'. This allows you to see which processes and applications are running (and allows you to start or stop them), as well as performance and user info.

In Windows XP, the 'event viewer' can be reached in several ways, for example from 'Computer Manager' (right click my computer, click manage). It shows the event logs, indicating which applications, services or security events have been logged, including errors; these can be useful to trace what is causing a problem. 

The names in shown in quotes above are the ones shown in the respective window title bars. It is useful to stick with that nomenclature to avoid confusion.

Wow!  I had the same problem and I did the right click on start thing and now my computer is just zipping along.  Thanks!  I am glad there are people like you out there to help people like me!

Thanks again!

Mel